Tag Archive: daniel radcliffe

A few weeks ago I posted on Twitter (sarcastically) that in around twenty years time a reboot of Harry Potter would be made and Daniel Radcliffe would be limited to a cameo as one of the Hogwarts’ ghosts. And ever since I posted that tweet it seems like Warner Bros. and JK Rowling are doing their best to prove me right.

Everyone knows why Hollywood is obsessed with reboots and sequels: because they make money. A whole host of films have been rebooted recently including Clash of the Titans, Total Recall, Evil Dead and there are more in the pipeline: Oldboy, Robocop and Fantastic Four to name just a few. One of the biggest money making franchises ever was the Harry Potter series, and rightly so because it was a perfect franchise that managed to ignite the imaginations of audiences worldwide in a way that I haven’t seen matched in any way, shape or form. Anything branded under the Harry Potter umbrella is guaranteed success commercially, which makes expanding that universe ever so appealing to all the movie bigwigs.

Harry Potter’s story finished back in 2011 and already there are plans to milk the franchise dry for every penny it can possibly produce. That began with the announcement that JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be the spark that sets up a new series of films set in the wizarding world. And is it just me that thinks that is a horrible idea considering the book was released to raise money for the charity Comic Relief and the benefits of the film will more than likely be lining the pockets of Warner Bros. executives? But anyway, who has been asking for an adaptation of that book? I can barely remember the number of times I’ve heard people express their longing to see Newt Scamander on the big screen.. oh actually I can. Zero. This is probably the most obvious money making decision in the history of film making.

And that may not be the only Harry Potter spin-off in the works at Warner Bros. as news that they have trademarked Quidditch Through the Ages and Tales of Beedle the Bard has been announced. When quidditch first appeared in the Harry Potter films it was a revelation and the sequences of the game are fantastic, one of the highlights of the series but this is yet another money making scheme by expanding a universe that nobody has any interest in. The only thing Harry Potter fans want is to see another Harry Potter film, i.e. a film with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson playing Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

So how long can Warner Bros. appease fans with their explicit commercially led ventures and have no regard for the opinions of fans? My guess is not long (of course I could be wrong but lets see shall we). Soon Warner Bros. will be receiving millions of please for a new Harry Potter film and what will they do then? They will realise the amount of money they can make by remaking all eight of the films adapted from JK Rowling’s books and that reboot will be ultimately greenlit.

Even the most die hard fans of Harry and his friends had just come to accept that there would never be more adventures told of the boy wizard and that would be absolutely fine. But now this reignites the flames of desperation and it won’t be soon before Daniel Radcliffe is thrown out of the series and replaced with another eleven year old boy with a lightning bolt on his forehead and broken glasses abridge his nose.

Two years ago the Harry Potter saga came to an end and now it looks as though two of it’s lead stars, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have found themselves a new franchise each. Daniel Radcliffe is in final negotiations to play the role of Igor, Frankenstein’s assistant, who the story is set to be based around (despite the fact that this character does not appear in the original novel). Emma Watson is set to become Disney’s next princess as she is in final negotiations to play Cinderella in the new adaptation (a basic retelling of the original story) directed by Kenneth Branagh. Cate Blanchett will be playing Cinders’ wicked stepmother.

In general casting news, two of my most anticipated sequels in the coming years have added new (and old) cast members. X-Men: Days of Future Past has now confirmed that Halle Berry will return as Storm along with several other former characters. As well as this Omar Sy has been cast and speculation is rife that he will be portraying the time traveling mutant Bishop (although it might be more likely he will be cast as an evil human leader). And in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes news: the brilliant, incredible actor Gary Oldman has joined as a human revolutionist, meaning it’s safe to assume that the troubled sequel is in safe hands after all.

Good news for comedy fans as FOX has give the go ahead to Let’s Be Cops, a story of two friends looking for more out life and so they pretend to be cops; but when they get involved with a real lief gangster the game gets real. Let’s Be Cops will be directed by Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door) and will star Damon Wayans Jr. (Happy Endings) and Jake Johnson (New Girl).

If they cast Max Greenfield too they’re onto a winner!

And finally… this week has seen Transcendence really get a shift on with their casting as it seems to be one of Warner Bros. top priorities at the minute. For anyone who doesn’t know Transcendence will be the directorial debut of Oscar winning cinematographer Wally Pfister. The plot is pretty complicated but it centres on a scientist whose brain is uploaded into his creation, a supercomputer with the potential to think for itself, after he is assassinated by anti-technology terrorists. Johnny Depp has been cast in the lead role and this could see the resurgence of his career at long last! Also added to the cast this week is Paul Bettany (A Knight’s Tale) and Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3). Transcendence is one of the most exciting science fiction films in production at the minute and is set to start shooting in April with a 2014 release date on the cards.

The trend of popular video games being adapted into films for the cinema screen continues with the announcement of casting news in the Need for Speed movie. As you can probably guess from the title Need for Speed are racing games and so you would expect that the films would just be the same as the Fast & Furious franchise and, even though they are great fun films, you don’t want to flood the market with the same material from two different franchises. However, the casting of the lead character has been announced and it is one of the best actors on television: Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). Aaron Paul is clearly a better actor than the likes of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and, as much as it pains me to say it, Dwayne Johnson so perhaps Need for Speed will be taking a more dramatic route? I doubt it.

Marvel have been busy this week with announcing a release date for Ant-Man and another one of their projects has been surrounded by casting rumours this week. Captain America: The Winter Soldier has been described as a ‘political thriller’ and will see (judging by the Winter Soldier character in the comics) the return of Cap’s World War 2 comrade Bucky. But casting in two other roles is under way with Mary Elizabeth Winstead being touted for a role likely to be Sharon Carter. And a strong, franchise hopping male character is also under consideration with LOST star (and one of the best characters) Josh Holloway one of the front runners for the role.

There are a lot of pointless sequels being made at the minute and one of those is Woman in Black: Angel of Death. The sequel to the post-Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe film will not star The Boy Who Lived but will take place several years after the original story. Anyway, Angel of Death now has a director attached and that man in question is Tom Harper. Harper’s television work will be more known that his film work so far having directed episodes of This Is England ’86 as well as the first series of Misfits.

And finally… Janis Joplin is often remembered as one of the greatest musicians of all time. And with biopics of stars from years gone by, especially musicians (Nowhere Boy, Walk The Line) having gone down very well previously it should come as no surprise that a Janis Joplin movie is in the works. Amy Adams is attached to star and Oscar nominated Lee Daniels is in talks to direct; Daniels is best known for critical winner Precious as well as his latest film The Paperboy starring Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron.

Over the past week there has been a flurry of pointless sequels being announced. Is it any coincidence that the announcements have come at the same time as the cinema release of Wrath of the Titans, a pointless sequel in itself? I don’t think so. First, it was announced that Twins would be getting a sequel called Triplets, where Eddie Murphy plays long lost brother of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito, seriously. The news of Dumb and Dumber 2 followed starring Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels. And now The Woman in Black is getting a sequel and I could not be more furious.

The Woman in Black was a grand return to cinemas for Hammer and became the highest grossing British horror film for twenty years. It received mixed to positive responses from critics and I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be very entertaining. But it does not need a sequel! For anyone that has seen the film they will know that the story is rounded off nicely at the end and everything is tied up.

I think that with the announcement of The Woman in Black: Angels of Death, as the follow up is to be called, is proof that it does not matter whether a film NEEDS a sequel or not, if it is a commercial success you are practically guaranteed another film. And because The Woman in Black does not need a sequel there is a high probability that the quality of a second film will be significantly lower than the original. The Woman in Black is one of my favourite stories of all time and I do not want to see it ruined with a needless sequel made just for financial gain.

Obviously, Daniel Radcliffe will not be reprising his role. Angels of Death takes place forty years after the events of The Woman in Black and will follow a couple and their experience upon encountering Eel Marsh House, the house which the woman in black haunted in the original film.

Whether the sequel turns out to be good or not, it is still pointless!

The Woman in Black is a story I have known for years. In school I read the book and went to see the stage adaptation, which to this day remains one of the best experiences of my life. Since it was announced I have been looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation of one of my favourite stories, throw in the fact that Daniel Radcliffe was playing the lead character and my excitement levels go through the roof. Today, I went to see The Woman in Black and it did not disappoint.

Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is struggling in his life. His wife died giving birth to their son, Joseph, and he is now facing financial problems as well as being under pressure from his employers. Arthur is sent away to the North East of England to deal with the deceased Alice Drablow’s estate, Eel Marsh House, a task which the locals seem concerned with when Arthur arrives and they all instantly want him to return to London. Whilst dealing with all of the paperwork at the Drablow estate Arthur begins to have visions of ‘The Woman in Black’ and strange things begin to happen in the house, along with children committing suicide in the local village. Despite the villagers insisting that Arthur leave, he takes it upon himself to solve this mystery and try to put an end to the haunting events that plague this place.

It is a great ghost story, in my opinion, and one that needs to be passed down through generations. This film does a great job of staying authentic to the book and putting across a very creepy and chilling tale. Radcliffe portrays Arthur Kipps brilliantly as a terrified man being scared half to death by the strange goings on at Eel Marsh House, but then again, if I’d spent seven years on the run from Voldemort I’d be able to pull off being scared pretty convincingly too. He really does come of age with this film as he tries to be taken seriously as an actor away from the Harry Potter franchise, although I still have trouble believing him as a father, unfortunately.

The way the film is shot is terrific so credit to James Watkins who directed the film. There are lots of moments in the film that will make the audience jump and maybe even scream, but it is bound to be an enjoyable experience. Sometimes it feels as if there is a lot of effort put in to making the audience jump too much in a short space of time but I felt that there were long pauses where nothing scary, as such, would happen and so on balance the film carries itself very well. The second act in particular is very impressive.

The climax of the film does feel slightly rushed in places, although very satisfying. The very end, with Arthur being reunited with his wife as the Woman in Black watches on is sure to bring on some debate. Has she stopped killing the children of the village or hasn’t she? Is killing Joseph and Arthur her way of saying thank you to Arthur? Is it a sort of ‘you reunited me with my family so I shall do the same for you’ kind of thing? All audience members will have their own different interpretations of the ending but there is one thing we should all agree on. This film is great.

Much of the hype surrounding this film up to it’s release is based around the fact that it is Daniel Radcliffe’s first big screen outing since the ending of the Harry Potter franchise, however this is not the reason I am looking forward to it.

During high school I went to see the stage version of the story and found it incredibly entertaining and very chilling to watch, it is among the scariest things I have ever witnessed. Thus, I have high hopes for the film.

The trailer does enough to get across what the movie is about and what themes it may contain. Important aspects from the story are involved in the trailer, but you will not know what they are unless you have read the book before, so it will appeal to people who know the story but there might not be enough to grab the mainstream movie viewer. The combination of chilling chimes overlapped with a small child’s poem is enough to make your spine tingle. Follow this with a VERY small glimpse of ‘the woman in black’ behind Daniel Radcliffe in the window and it definitely gets across how chilling the film will be.

I’ll certainly be going to see this when it comes out. What about you?